Disclaimer: They've come back! Voluntarily! Can you believe it? But their
condition was that I have to admit they're not mine . . . FINE, they're not
mine. Now do I get to have some fun with them? Larien is mine though.
A/N: After reading the reviews, I've decided that I can't possibly leave this story as it is, so instead of writing a sequel, I'm going to carry on. Don't expect things to be hunky dory between Haldir and Larien though. For a start, I'm going to be introducing the fellowship (who still haven't left Lothlórien) and I can promise plenty of misunderstandings and emotional scenes to come.
* * *
Chapter 6
"So will you tell me some more about the strangers who entered our lands?" Larien asked Haldir as they rested together on Haldir's telain, tending ach others wounds after their encounter with the orcs.
"There is not much to tell. As you saw, there are four halflings, Aragorn of the Dúnedain, Boromir of Gondor, Gimli the dwarf and Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood."
"Prince of Mirkwood? It is long since we have seen our kindred from the north walk upon our land. Tell me, what is he like?" Haldir shot her a quick glance at her as she lost herself in her daydream.
"He is an elf," he said succinctly. Larien punched him playfully on the arm.
"You know what I mean, Haldir. Is he typical of the Mirkwood elves? Is he very different to Lórien elves?"
"Lady Larien, may I warn you that it is inadvisable to initiate a violent act against the marchwarden of the Galadhrim?" he asked mockingly before shielding himself from the blows that rained on him.
"Then the marchwarden may be advised to impart information more willingly before one of his underlings beats it out of him," she returned playfully as she caught a particularly sensitive spot and the playful fight turned into a wrestling match on the floor.
"You just don't learn, do you my love?" Haldir teased as he restrained her flailing wrists beneath him, planting a quick kiss on her lips.
"Oh, the shock! A marchwarden taking advantage of a weak elven maiden! Will no one help me?" she giggled.
"All those who still believe the lady Larien is a weak maiden should have a closer look at the bruises she inflicted during one of our many scuffles throughout the past few days."
"I did not injure you, do not lie to me Haldir," she laughed.
"Believe what you wish, but my poor body is still black and blue from this weak maiden's fists," he retorted.
"I may not be able to beat you in a contest of brute strength, whatever you say about your bruises, but I can still beat you at archery!" Haldir released her suddenly as he sat up.
"Oh, so the lady has delusions of grandeur?" he smirked at her. "Who taught you archery, young maiden?"
"The best in Lórien," she replied as she grinned back at him. "But even the best teachers can be surpassed by their pupils!"
"Then I shall have to challenge my young upstart to an archery contest," he proclaimed. "First thing tomorrow morning, before the sun comes up, I shall meet you at the training grounds." Larien gasped suddenly as she realised the lateness of the day.
"I must go, Haldir," she cried as she picked up her weapons which she had strewn across Haldir's telain when she arrived. "I shall meet you tomorrow morning then?"
"Larien, I was jesting. You do not have to leave!" he replied in consternation.
"No, I must. Orophin awaits me at my telain, and I wanted to check on Rúmil again before nightfall." She paused for a second as she regarded him. "You do not mind if I spend time with your brothers now, do you?" She dreaded hearing an affirmative answer, knowing that this would spark further arguments between them, as she had no intention of distancing herself from the elven brothers she loved so much.
"No, love. I promise I shall never again be jealous of the time you spend with my brothers," he replied with a grin as she sighed in relief.
"Until tomorrow then, love," she answered as she descended the ladder lightly onto the leafy ground.
* * *
Back at Larien's telain, Orophin was pacing up and down like a demented orc. The news that Haldir and Larien had somehow made up was unsettling enough, as he didn't know what exactly had initiated the ceasefire, but now she was late for their usual meeting. Rúmil and himself had been hoping to use the tension between Haldir and Larien to make them both realise their feelings for each other, as these were blatantly obvious to the brothers since they were closest to them both. Now that they had stopped fighting between themselves, Orophin worried that their true feelings would be hidden further underneath their friendly exterior, for he had had no time to speak to either of them alone to determine the nature of their current relationship.
"Orophin, forgive my tardiness. I lost track of time," a breathless Larien told Orophin as she climbed up to her telain.
"Larien! Where have you been?" he exclaimed in return. "I was worried for your safety."
"I was with Haldir." Orophin watched closely as he saw a faint flush of pink tinge her cheeks.
"I see you have made up," he said cautiously.
"Any further news of Rúmil?" she asked, unwittingly ignoring the unspoken question.
"He is past the worst and will be fit to join us once again in a few days, although I am certain Haldir will not let him return to his duty for a few weeks!" He watched closely once again as Larien smiled softly as she cleaned her weapons and placed them away lovingly. "So Haldir has spoken of his love for you," he asked, certain that Larien's soft sighs of contentment could mean nothing else. Larien stared at Orophin in shock.
"You knew?"
"Larien, everyone close to Haldir and yourself knew, except Haldir and yourself," he replied, happy that his guess was correct. Larien smiled once again.
"How is it that I could be so wrong about him when I thought he detested me?"
"Love is a blinding emotion," he responded wisely. Larien gazed over at him before realising the true meaning of his comment.
"You are in love?" Orophin flushed slightly as he nodded sheepishly.
"I myself have fallen victim to the oldest of emotions," he declared. "And it was Rúmil's fall that lifted the veil from my eyes."
"Who is she?" she asked, consumed with curiosity.
"Can you not guess?" he asked with a glint in his eye. Larien pondered the problem for a while before the light shone in her eyes.
"Not Tarí, daughter of Galdor. The one who trains as healer?" Orophin nodded once again. "But you and she have been friends for as long as I can remember!"
"Indeed, which is probably why I did not see her as anything more than that. Until I spoke to her once again when I took Rúmil to her earlier today, that is." Larien beamed with pleasure.
"That is indeed wonderful news, brother. Which is no doubt why you wish to visit Rúmil on your own this evening."
"Rúmil will probably be asleep, so maybe it would be a better idea for you to visit tomorrow morning?" he tried to justify to himself. Larien smiled knowingly. She had always found it amusing when Orophin or Rúmil used to profess their eternal love to the young elven maidens, and now that it had truly hit Orophin, she had to hold back her laughter.
"Oh, not tomorrow morning, for I have an archery contest to win," she suddenly remembered.
"Archery? Why was I not invited to compete?" he asked jokingly.
"It is simply an exercise to illustrate to Haldir the fact that I am the better archer," she replied smugly.
"Ah," he raised his eyebrows as understanding dawned. "A lover's quarrel already," he commented and scampered off to his love as a pillow shot past his ear.
* * *
Very early the next morning, Larien rose and descended from her telain with her bow and quiver strapped to her back, determined to show the older elf he did not hold the honour of being the best archer in Lórien. The pale gleam of morning had barely begun to shine through the leaves, the sun not yet appearing over the eastern mountains, as she ran lightly towards the training grounds.
As she approached, her sensitive elven hearing picked up the sounds of a bowstring's twang, and the thud of an arrow hitting a target. She grinned to herself happily. Haldir was obviously nervous about the encounter and needed some practice before their meeting. She crept up behind the elf silently and notched an arrow on her bow, aiming it at the back of his neck. Closer and closer she crept until the arrow's tip was practically touching the elf.
"Are you that dreadful at archery that you seek more training before you are slaughtered by my superior skill?" she asked in a low, menacing whisper. As the elf raised his hands slowly, she noticed with a growing horror, that it was not Haldir at all. She did not know how she could have mistaken the slim figure of the elf in front of her with that of Haldir.
"Of your skill with a bow and arrow, I know nothing, but I would be happy to match my own against yours and test your theory," he replied in a low, musical voice. She immediately lowered her bow.
"My apologies for I am afraid I mistook you for another," she told the elf, who still had his back to her. Haldir's laughter bubbled up from their left as he made his entrance.
"Larien, I do wish you would not terrorise our visitors so," he reproached her laughingly. The elf turned slowly to face them.
"Good morning, Haldir. I did not expect anyone to be using the training grounds so early, and you did give me leave to make use of them whenever I wished."
"I did, indeed . . ." Haldir started, but he was interrupted as the elf continued talking to Larien.
"My Lady, the offer still stands."
"Offer, my Lord?" she asked.
"The offer to test your skills against my own, for I do not fear being beaten by a maiden such as yourself." The familiar heat of annoyance rose within Larien as she glared at the elf.
"I would warn you that I am no mere maiden, my Lord," she told him, her blue eyes glinting like steel. The elf smiled slowly, an action that angered Larien all the more. "And you would find it hard to find an archer that could beat me."
"Then the challenge is issued and accepted."
"I do not think this is wise, Larien," Haldir interrupted once again.
"Haldir, I believe I can look after myself, especially when it comes to archery. Do not fear for I am certain that his Lordship would not object to your taking part also," she replied, leaving Haldir wondering how much of her sentence was infused with sarcasm.
"Indeed, come now, Haldir. The maiden awaits the competition in anticipation," he replied with a slow smile. "Shall we say, thirty yards?" he asked courteously.
"If you believe you will not hit the target from fifty yards, then there is no point in the competition," she retorted.
"Fifty yards it is. Is that fine by you, Haldir?"
"I would much prefer to not have this competition at all," he mumbled back. "It is fine." Larien and the elf stood back at Haldir notched his arrow and let it fly. Larien was not surprised to find it had hit marginally off the centre of the target. He was good, but fifty yards was stretching even his abilities.
"Good shot, Haldir. Would the maiden care to go next?" Larien shot the elf a glance of pure annoyance as she notched her bow. Would he not cease calling her a maiden? She cleared her mind as she had been taught, and sighted the target, seeing her arrow fly straight to the centre in her mind's eye, so when she let the arrow go, she was pleasantly surprised to see it embed itself into the centre of the target. She turned with a contented smile towards the elf and tilted her head.
"A mere maiden hits the very centre, closer still than the marchwarden of the Galadhrim. Do you still believe you can do better?" He merely nodded his appreciation of her shot and took his stance. Before either Haldir or Larien had time to blink, the elf had shot his arrow, also into the centre of the target. Larien stood with her mouth unconsciously hanging open until she composed herself and insisted on inspecting the target closer. There it was. Haldir's arrow, off centre by a few millimetres, and their two arrows side by side, both in the centre of the target.
"How would you judge that, marchwarden?" the elf smiled.
"I see no choice but to call a tie, your highness," Haldir replied. Larien spun round to face Haldir. Had she heard correctly?
"Your highness?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes?" asked the elf, as if she had just questioned him.
"I have been attempting to tell you, Larien, but your stubbornness is unmatched. Prince Legolas, may I introduce the lady Larien." Legolas bowed from the waist before reaching for her hand and leaving a soft kiss on the back of it.
"I am honoured to meet a beautiful maiden who wields the bow with such expertise."
* * *
"You jest, Larien," came Rúmil's weak voice from the bed. "You challenged Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood to an archery contest?" He laughed, holding his ribs as they ached.
"Rúmil, if you were not already unwell . . ."
"I know, I know, you would hurt me further," he interrupted as he watched Larien's face glow bright red.
"I did not know it was him. I have never met Legolas, nor any of our Mirkwood kin."
"Of course, he beat you both. Legolas is the best archer in Middle Earth after all."
"He did not beat me!" Larien responded hotly. "We tied. Well, I will admit that he has the greater prowess for I had to take the time to aim and he shot with hardly a glance at the target, but the fact remains he did not beat me in the actual contest."
"Calm yourself, Larien. I would never argue the fact that you are an accomplished archer, surpassing even Haldir's skill," he responded, trying to calm the air between them.
"My apologies, brother. I did not mean to raise my voice," she told him as she quickly thought of another topic of conversation. "Did you know that Orophin and Tarí had feelings for each other?"
"I knew as much as you, sister, for Orophin had not told me the extent of his feelings, nor could I have guessed."
"Orophin has feelings for a lady?" came Haldir's voice as he entered the room.
"Haldir! It is good to see you," cried Rúmil. "Yes, Orophin and Tarí are spending some time together, but what is more important, I shall be allowed to leave here tomorrow. I shall not be away from my watch much longer."
"You are mistaken Rúmil, for you are not returning to the watch for a few days at the least," he retorted.
"But the healers agree I am fit," he argued.
"No doubt, but the healers do not know of your tendency to over work yourself, nor do they realise the high standard of fitness required to return to a warden's watch. As your older brother and marchwarden, I order you not to return until I give you leave," he finished. Rúmil's face fell as he heard these words.
"Do not fret, Rúmil for I shall keep you company when I am not on duty," Larien reassured him.
"I would not wish to keep you from your love," he grinned to Larien and Haldir. "Do not worry, I shall be fine. I shall probably be sufficiently entertained watching the interactions between Orophin and Tarí. In the meantime, you have done your duties, now go and enjoy your time together.
* * *
corrina - Don't worry, there will be plenty more kisses to come, although I won't say yet who it will involve!
fan81981 - I'm continuing this fic, please stop wailing! I hope you'll like the introduction of Legolas into the fic, although I'm glad I've managed to convert someone else into a Haldir fan. :o)
Lucky Obsidian - Great minds obviously think alike! Haldir is exactly the type of elf I would love to throw down and. . . erm, yeah!
superchick - I'll be trying to include the brothers a little more in future chapters. I've started by giving Orophin a girlfriend - do you approve?
JadeGoddess - It was going to be the end, but I've changed my mind, thanks to all the reviews. :oD
Lady of Legolas - And there WILL be plenty of ups and downs in this relationship, you have my word!
Jenny - Not sure I have the guts to post smut. Must admit, I've tried my hand at it, but I'm not too good at it. Plus I'd have to change the rating. Hmm, let me think about that! Death threat averted?
Aurora - Mmm, dramatic, I like! Hopefully there will be more tension, hope you enjoy!
Auror198 - Must admit, it wasn't my idea of the perfect romantic setting, but if it works for you and your bf. . . who am I to argue! Glad I was helpful! ;oP
Nika-Chan - I thought that orc did Larien and Haldir a favour! You never know how steamy things could have gotten (naughty elves) if the orc hadn't put a damper on the situation!
Stardust - Don't worry, I will only smack Haldir some more if he gets too big for his boots once again. I couldn't possibly put him through that just for the fun of it! ;o)
A/N: After reading the reviews, I've decided that I can't possibly leave this story as it is, so instead of writing a sequel, I'm going to carry on. Don't expect things to be hunky dory between Haldir and Larien though. For a start, I'm going to be introducing the fellowship (who still haven't left Lothlórien) and I can promise plenty of misunderstandings and emotional scenes to come.
* * *
Chapter 6
"So will you tell me some more about the strangers who entered our lands?" Larien asked Haldir as they rested together on Haldir's telain, tending ach others wounds after their encounter with the orcs.
"There is not much to tell. As you saw, there are four halflings, Aragorn of the Dúnedain, Boromir of Gondor, Gimli the dwarf and Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood."
"Prince of Mirkwood? It is long since we have seen our kindred from the north walk upon our land. Tell me, what is he like?" Haldir shot her a quick glance at her as she lost herself in her daydream.
"He is an elf," he said succinctly. Larien punched him playfully on the arm.
"You know what I mean, Haldir. Is he typical of the Mirkwood elves? Is he very different to Lórien elves?"
"Lady Larien, may I warn you that it is inadvisable to initiate a violent act against the marchwarden of the Galadhrim?" he asked mockingly before shielding himself from the blows that rained on him.
"Then the marchwarden may be advised to impart information more willingly before one of his underlings beats it out of him," she returned playfully as she caught a particularly sensitive spot and the playful fight turned into a wrestling match on the floor.
"You just don't learn, do you my love?" Haldir teased as he restrained her flailing wrists beneath him, planting a quick kiss on her lips.
"Oh, the shock! A marchwarden taking advantage of a weak elven maiden! Will no one help me?" she giggled.
"All those who still believe the lady Larien is a weak maiden should have a closer look at the bruises she inflicted during one of our many scuffles throughout the past few days."
"I did not injure you, do not lie to me Haldir," she laughed.
"Believe what you wish, but my poor body is still black and blue from this weak maiden's fists," he retorted.
"I may not be able to beat you in a contest of brute strength, whatever you say about your bruises, but I can still beat you at archery!" Haldir released her suddenly as he sat up.
"Oh, so the lady has delusions of grandeur?" he smirked at her. "Who taught you archery, young maiden?"
"The best in Lórien," she replied as she grinned back at him. "But even the best teachers can be surpassed by their pupils!"
"Then I shall have to challenge my young upstart to an archery contest," he proclaimed. "First thing tomorrow morning, before the sun comes up, I shall meet you at the training grounds." Larien gasped suddenly as she realised the lateness of the day.
"I must go, Haldir," she cried as she picked up her weapons which she had strewn across Haldir's telain when she arrived. "I shall meet you tomorrow morning then?"
"Larien, I was jesting. You do not have to leave!" he replied in consternation.
"No, I must. Orophin awaits me at my telain, and I wanted to check on Rúmil again before nightfall." She paused for a second as she regarded him. "You do not mind if I spend time with your brothers now, do you?" She dreaded hearing an affirmative answer, knowing that this would spark further arguments between them, as she had no intention of distancing herself from the elven brothers she loved so much.
"No, love. I promise I shall never again be jealous of the time you spend with my brothers," he replied with a grin as she sighed in relief.
"Until tomorrow then, love," she answered as she descended the ladder lightly onto the leafy ground.
* * *
Back at Larien's telain, Orophin was pacing up and down like a demented orc. The news that Haldir and Larien had somehow made up was unsettling enough, as he didn't know what exactly had initiated the ceasefire, but now she was late for their usual meeting. Rúmil and himself had been hoping to use the tension between Haldir and Larien to make them both realise their feelings for each other, as these were blatantly obvious to the brothers since they were closest to them both. Now that they had stopped fighting between themselves, Orophin worried that their true feelings would be hidden further underneath their friendly exterior, for he had had no time to speak to either of them alone to determine the nature of their current relationship.
"Orophin, forgive my tardiness. I lost track of time," a breathless Larien told Orophin as she climbed up to her telain.
"Larien! Where have you been?" he exclaimed in return. "I was worried for your safety."
"I was with Haldir." Orophin watched closely as he saw a faint flush of pink tinge her cheeks.
"I see you have made up," he said cautiously.
"Any further news of Rúmil?" she asked, unwittingly ignoring the unspoken question.
"He is past the worst and will be fit to join us once again in a few days, although I am certain Haldir will not let him return to his duty for a few weeks!" He watched closely once again as Larien smiled softly as she cleaned her weapons and placed them away lovingly. "So Haldir has spoken of his love for you," he asked, certain that Larien's soft sighs of contentment could mean nothing else. Larien stared at Orophin in shock.
"You knew?"
"Larien, everyone close to Haldir and yourself knew, except Haldir and yourself," he replied, happy that his guess was correct. Larien smiled once again.
"How is it that I could be so wrong about him when I thought he detested me?"
"Love is a blinding emotion," he responded wisely. Larien gazed over at him before realising the true meaning of his comment.
"You are in love?" Orophin flushed slightly as he nodded sheepishly.
"I myself have fallen victim to the oldest of emotions," he declared. "And it was Rúmil's fall that lifted the veil from my eyes."
"Who is she?" she asked, consumed with curiosity.
"Can you not guess?" he asked with a glint in his eye. Larien pondered the problem for a while before the light shone in her eyes.
"Not Tarí, daughter of Galdor. The one who trains as healer?" Orophin nodded once again. "But you and she have been friends for as long as I can remember!"
"Indeed, which is probably why I did not see her as anything more than that. Until I spoke to her once again when I took Rúmil to her earlier today, that is." Larien beamed with pleasure.
"That is indeed wonderful news, brother. Which is no doubt why you wish to visit Rúmil on your own this evening."
"Rúmil will probably be asleep, so maybe it would be a better idea for you to visit tomorrow morning?" he tried to justify to himself. Larien smiled knowingly. She had always found it amusing when Orophin or Rúmil used to profess their eternal love to the young elven maidens, and now that it had truly hit Orophin, she had to hold back her laughter.
"Oh, not tomorrow morning, for I have an archery contest to win," she suddenly remembered.
"Archery? Why was I not invited to compete?" he asked jokingly.
"It is simply an exercise to illustrate to Haldir the fact that I am the better archer," she replied smugly.
"Ah," he raised his eyebrows as understanding dawned. "A lover's quarrel already," he commented and scampered off to his love as a pillow shot past his ear.
* * *
Very early the next morning, Larien rose and descended from her telain with her bow and quiver strapped to her back, determined to show the older elf he did not hold the honour of being the best archer in Lórien. The pale gleam of morning had barely begun to shine through the leaves, the sun not yet appearing over the eastern mountains, as she ran lightly towards the training grounds.
As she approached, her sensitive elven hearing picked up the sounds of a bowstring's twang, and the thud of an arrow hitting a target. She grinned to herself happily. Haldir was obviously nervous about the encounter and needed some practice before their meeting. She crept up behind the elf silently and notched an arrow on her bow, aiming it at the back of his neck. Closer and closer she crept until the arrow's tip was practically touching the elf.
"Are you that dreadful at archery that you seek more training before you are slaughtered by my superior skill?" she asked in a low, menacing whisper. As the elf raised his hands slowly, she noticed with a growing horror, that it was not Haldir at all. She did not know how she could have mistaken the slim figure of the elf in front of her with that of Haldir.
"Of your skill with a bow and arrow, I know nothing, but I would be happy to match my own against yours and test your theory," he replied in a low, musical voice. She immediately lowered her bow.
"My apologies for I am afraid I mistook you for another," she told the elf, who still had his back to her. Haldir's laughter bubbled up from their left as he made his entrance.
"Larien, I do wish you would not terrorise our visitors so," he reproached her laughingly. The elf turned slowly to face them.
"Good morning, Haldir. I did not expect anyone to be using the training grounds so early, and you did give me leave to make use of them whenever I wished."
"I did, indeed . . ." Haldir started, but he was interrupted as the elf continued talking to Larien.
"My Lady, the offer still stands."
"Offer, my Lord?" she asked.
"The offer to test your skills against my own, for I do not fear being beaten by a maiden such as yourself." The familiar heat of annoyance rose within Larien as she glared at the elf.
"I would warn you that I am no mere maiden, my Lord," she told him, her blue eyes glinting like steel. The elf smiled slowly, an action that angered Larien all the more. "And you would find it hard to find an archer that could beat me."
"Then the challenge is issued and accepted."
"I do not think this is wise, Larien," Haldir interrupted once again.
"Haldir, I believe I can look after myself, especially when it comes to archery. Do not fear for I am certain that his Lordship would not object to your taking part also," she replied, leaving Haldir wondering how much of her sentence was infused with sarcasm.
"Indeed, come now, Haldir. The maiden awaits the competition in anticipation," he replied with a slow smile. "Shall we say, thirty yards?" he asked courteously.
"If you believe you will not hit the target from fifty yards, then there is no point in the competition," she retorted.
"Fifty yards it is. Is that fine by you, Haldir?"
"I would much prefer to not have this competition at all," he mumbled back. "It is fine." Larien and the elf stood back at Haldir notched his arrow and let it fly. Larien was not surprised to find it had hit marginally off the centre of the target. He was good, but fifty yards was stretching even his abilities.
"Good shot, Haldir. Would the maiden care to go next?" Larien shot the elf a glance of pure annoyance as she notched her bow. Would he not cease calling her a maiden? She cleared her mind as she had been taught, and sighted the target, seeing her arrow fly straight to the centre in her mind's eye, so when she let the arrow go, she was pleasantly surprised to see it embed itself into the centre of the target. She turned with a contented smile towards the elf and tilted her head.
"A mere maiden hits the very centre, closer still than the marchwarden of the Galadhrim. Do you still believe you can do better?" He merely nodded his appreciation of her shot and took his stance. Before either Haldir or Larien had time to blink, the elf had shot his arrow, also into the centre of the target. Larien stood with her mouth unconsciously hanging open until she composed herself and insisted on inspecting the target closer. There it was. Haldir's arrow, off centre by a few millimetres, and their two arrows side by side, both in the centre of the target.
"How would you judge that, marchwarden?" the elf smiled.
"I see no choice but to call a tie, your highness," Haldir replied. Larien spun round to face Haldir. Had she heard correctly?
"Your highness?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes?" asked the elf, as if she had just questioned him.
"I have been attempting to tell you, Larien, but your stubbornness is unmatched. Prince Legolas, may I introduce the lady Larien." Legolas bowed from the waist before reaching for her hand and leaving a soft kiss on the back of it.
"I am honoured to meet a beautiful maiden who wields the bow with such expertise."
* * *
"You jest, Larien," came Rúmil's weak voice from the bed. "You challenged Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood to an archery contest?" He laughed, holding his ribs as they ached.
"Rúmil, if you were not already unwell . . ."
"I know, I know, you would hurt me further," he interrupted as he watched Larien's face glow bright red.
"I did not know it was him. I have never met Legolas, nor any of our Mirkwood kin."
"Of course, he beat you both. Legolas is the best archer in Middle Earth after all."
"He did not beat me!" Larien responded hotly. "We tied. Well, I will admit that he has the greater prowess for I had to take the time to aim and he shot with hardly a glance at the target, but the fact remains he did not beat me in the actual contest."
"Calm yourself, Larien. I would never argue the fact that you are an accomplished archer, surpassing even Haldir's skill," he responded, trying to calm the air between them.
"My apologies, brother. I did not mean to raise my voice," she told him as she quickly thought of another topic of conversation. "Did you know that Orophin and Tarí had feelings for each other?"
"I knew as much as you, sister, for Orophin had not told me the extent of his feelings, nor could I have guessed."
"Orophin has feelings for a lady?" came Haldir's voice as he entered the room.
"Haldir! It is good to see you," cried Rúmil. "Yes, Orophin and Tarí are spending some time together, but what is more important, I shall be allowed to leave here tomorrow. I shall not be away from my watch much longer."
"You are mistaken Rúmil, for you are not returning to the watch for a few days at the least," he retorted.
"But the healers agree I am fit," he argued.
"No doubt, but the healers do not know of your tendency to over work yourself, nor do they realise the high standard of fitness required to return to a warden's watch. As your older brother and marchwarden, I order you not to return until I give you leave," he finished. Rúmil's face fell as he heard these words.
"Do not fret, Rúmil for I shall keep you company when I am not on duty," Larien reassured him.
"I would not wish to keep you from your love," he grinned to Larien and Haldir. "Do not worry, I shall be fine. I shall probably be sufficiently entertained watching the interactions between Orophin and Tarí. In the meantime, you have done your duties, now go and enjoy your time together.
* * *
corrina - Don't worry, there will be plenty more kisses to come, although I won't say yet who it will involve!
fan81981 - I'm continuing this fic, please stop wailing! I hope you'll like the introduction of Legolas into the fic, although I'm glad I've managed to convert someone else into a Haldir fan. :o)
Lucky Obsidian - Great minds obviously think alike! Haldir is exactly the type of elf I would love to throw down and. . . erm, yeah!
superchick - I'll be trying to include the brothers a little more in future chapters. I've started by giving Orophin a girlfriend - do you approve?
JadeGoddess - It was going to be the end, but I've changed my mind, thanks to all the reviews. :oD
Lady of Legolas - And there WILL be plenty of ups and downs in this relationship, you have my word!
Jenny - Not sure I have the guts to post smut. Must admit, I've tried my hand at it, but I'm not too good at it. Plus I'd have to change the rating. Hmm, let me think about that! Death threat averted?
Aurora - Mmm, dramatic, I like! Hopefully there will be more tension, hope you enjoy!
Auror198 - Must admit, it wasn't my idea of the perfect romantic setting, but if it works for you and your bf. . . who am I to argue! Glad I was helpful! ;oP
Nika-Chan - I thought that orc did Larien and Haldir a favour! You never know how steamy things could have gotten (naughty elves) if the orc hadn't put a damper on the situation!
Stardust - Don't worry, I will only smack Haldir some more if he gets too big for his boots once again. I couldn't possibly put him through that just for the fun of it! ;o)